


Alone Again

by Aerilon452



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Carol and Ezekiel being cute, Complete, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Romance, loose plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-02 21:25:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16312955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aerilon452/pseuds/Aerilon452
Summary: Carol and Ezekiel join a group that goes out scavenging. Follow up to ON THE RUNTakes place two months after the war ends.





	1. Chapter 1

It always came down to food. Winter would be upon all the communities and it was time they stock up on food stores. Rick and Michonne from Alexandria, Carol and Ezekiel from the Kingdom, Maggie and Jesus from Hilltop, Aaron and Cindy from Oceanside, and two new faces from Sanctuary gathered together to make a plan. Daryl, Tara, Rosita, Eugene, Enid, and a few others were listening in, ready to volunteer should they need to. They had spent two weeks putting their lives back together in the wake of Negan’s death and the Saviors defeat. It had been a good two weeks. Then another two weeks had gone by with relative peace descending upon on all the communities. Before they knew it two months had gone by. People were coming together. Now, they were using one of the defeated outposts as a meeting point. The satellite outpost was equal distance between all the major territories. 

“The crops we were able to harvest, but they aren’t enough to last us through the winter. We’re low on fuel for the generators at Hilltop and the Kingdom. We’re going to need to find more medical supplies, as well as blankets and warm clothing,” Rick spoke, running down the list of must haves. 

Jesus pulled out his map, unfolding it on the table for all those assembled to see it. Most of the surrounding areas were blacked out as they were places he had already picked through. “We all know it’s slim pickings in the immediate area, but there is a place to the North I haven’t yet gotten he chance to comb through.” He pointed to it on the map. Like Alexandria, it was a new gated community near a small town. It wasn’t small enough for one person to check. There had to be a group. 

“We could divide it up,” Carol suggested. “By the looks of it, it’s almost day’s drive. Each team picks an area, sticks to it, and then we take three days to check every nook and cranny for as many supplies as we can find.” She looked to Ezekiel because she knew he was going to volunteer to g out there. “I’ll take a partner and go to this area.” Her finger pointed to the small town.

“There will be no need to randomly select a traveling companion,” Ezekiel spoke in his colorful manner. Carol quirked her eyebrow at him, but he pressed on. “I will accompany you.” There had been so many things happening back in the Kingdom; repairs to be made, aide to be given to those left at Sanctuary. They had hardly had a moment alone. 

Carol was going to argue, but she knew it was pointless. Once he’d made up his mind, nothing was going to change it. Well, almost nothing. “Fine,” she said, but with a trace of humor. It would be good to spend some time alone with him again. The last time, he’d been shot, and they were still in a war against the Saviors. 

Daryl piped up while he studied the map, “I’ll go with y’all. There looks to be woods just before you hit the town, I can do some hunting. The game’s been scarce around here lately.” 

“Oceanside has been collecting as much fish as we can,” Cindy added. “But’s not enough for all the communities.” 

“The crops at Hilltop haven’t yielded much to sustain us through the coming winter,” Maggie informed those assembled. The war with the Saviors took away from the precious time her people needed to plant crops, let the seeds spout, and then harvest the food.

“Which is why we have to go out there,” Rick stated gently. “Michonne and I will help Carol and the King scavenge the town. “

“I’ll head for the gated community,” Jesus said.

“I’ll join you,” Aaron offered. 

“We’ll go, too,” Rosita added, motioning between herself and Tara. 

“Four people going house to house…” Rick sighed, looking at the others assembled. Maggie, he knew, was going back to Hilltop to coordinate from there. They had the long-range walkies that Sanctuary bartered, and each team would have one to stay in contact with each other. Eugene was out of the trip as well. He was their bullet maker and he had a large order to fill. 

“We’ll get it done,” Jesus stated confidently. 

“Yeah, don’t worry Rick, we’re plenty motivated,” Rosita added. They had enough food right now, but that was for right now. It wouldn’t do to wait until they were on rations again before going out looking for food. 

“Alright,” Rick agreed, nodding. “We’ll all head home, pack whatever we need, and then meet back here tomorrow at dawn before heading out.” Everyone agreed.

 

KINGDOM:  
NIGHT:

 

Ezekiel and Carol stumbled through the door of their bedroom – formerly his bedroom – kissing passionately, while they attacked each other’s shirt. He pulled the blue fabric out of the waistband of her pants and then worked free all the buttons until he hands could touch her skin. He turned her, placing her back against the door, closing it as he fell against her, plundering her mouth, drinking down her moans of pleasure. 

Carol loved feeling the weight of him against her, pinning her to the door. Blindly her hands pushed at his open shirt, fighting to get it off his body. Then, like magic, it disappeared. They broke apart, breathing heavily, staring at each other. She flicked her gaze down to his left shoulder where his body sported a newly healed gunshot wound. Leaning down, she kissed the soft flesh, drawing a moan from him. She had come so close to losing him.

“It’s in the past,” Ezekiel kissed her brow, then the bridge of her nose, and finally, he took her lips again in a searing kiss. His hands went to her hips, fingers digging into the denim, pulling her close and away from the door. He guided her towards the bed and when the back of her knees touched the edge, he pushed her down with a wicked smirk. First, he took her right foot, untied the laces, and then pulled her boot off where he tossed it over his shoulder. Then, he repeated the action with her left foot. 

Carol liked watching Ezekiel undress her. It was new and exciting and amazing every time. His hands went to the button of her pants, opened it, and then lowered the zipper. She lifted her hips, letting him pull the jeans down her legs. Carol sat up, putting him between her parted knees, her hands immediately going to his belt, but he stopped her. She looked up at him to see the passion burning in his eyes. “You’re still over dressed,” she said slyly. 

Ezekiel cupped her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks. “I am going to make love to you,” he said as he leaned down to kiss her lips sweetly. She gasped, digging her fingers into his hips. He loved kissing her, taking in the taste of her, letting it dance over his tongue. She always tasted like chocolate. Ezekiel told her with his kiss, with the intensity of it, to move back. Reluctantly, he broke the seal of their lips. 

Carol slid back over the comforter, stretching out to rest her head on the pillow. She watched him toe off his boots but kept his pants on. Her face contorted into a frown and she issued a little sound of displeasure. All of that was quickly turned back to arousal when he climbed on the bed, pushing her legs apart so he could kneel between her knees again. Teasingly, he drew the tips of his fingers up her sides, sliding the hem of her camisole up to expose her abdomen. Her muscles tensed, and her knees tightened on his hips. 

Ezekiel pulled the thin strapped tank top off of Carol, casting it to the floor with the rest of her clothing. He settled himself down, feeling her flesh against his, and the press of her pert nipples against his chest. His lips found her jaw, nibbling lightly, trekking down along the side of her neck. Idly, he paused to nip and lick at her thundering pulse just to make her moan. Then he kissed the hollow of her throat before pressing his lips to the top of her right breast and even further down until he was taking one of those ripe berries in his mouth. 

Carol moaned again, arching her back. She brushed aside the curtain of his dread locks, so she could watch the way he lavished attention upon her breast. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip when she felt the first swirl of his tongue around her straining nipple. Carol started breathing harder, her heart beating furiously in her chest. 

Ezekiel drew his lips away from her breast, trailing them to the valley, and then continued moving down her quivering abdomen. He licked and nipped her skin until she was breathless with the pleasure he was stirring up inside her. Lovingly, he kissed her just below her navel, and then pulled back. Ezekiel curled his fingers into the band of her underwear, tugging them down her hips. All the while, her eyes never left his. 

Carol barely noticed her underwear fluttering to the floor. She was too enthralled with the blazing passion she saw lighting Ezekiel’s eyes. All of it was for her. He kissed her shin, then the inside, moving up until she felt his hot breath whispering against her nether lips. She brought her hand down against the top of his head, her fingers curling around one of his dread locks. Her eyes rolled back in her head when she felt his fingers spread her, felt his tongue give her that first teasing lick that made her hips jerk. She sucked in a sharp breath of air at the feeling of one of his fingers pushing inside of her, thrusting in tandem with the motion of his tongue.

Ezekiel listened to the way Carol gasped each time his finger touched the right spot inside her. He felt her body tense and knew that any moment, she would be pilling over the edge, letting the orgasm take her. When she did come, he wanted it to be powerful, wanted it to render her boneless with pleasure thrumming through every cell of her body. He added a second finger before the next thrust. A swirl of his tongue around her clit had her thighs tightening on him, her body tensing. Drawing his mouth away from her, he wanted to watch her as she came. 

Carol cupped her left breast, her palm pressing against her straining nipple. Ezekiel drove his fingers into her one more time and that was all she needed. Her inner muscles clamped down on him, trying to hold his fingers where they were while she came. Carol’s back arched with the last waves of her orgasm, and then she was coming down from the euphoria. She thought she felt Ezekiel shift, but her brain was overloading with so many signals from her body.

Ezekiel marveled at the silent way she rode the wave of her release. She closed her eyes, bit her bottom lip, and thrust her heard back against the pillow. It was a beautiful moment to witness. He brought his fingers up to his lips, licking them clean. Her breathing slowed, but she didn’t open her eyes. So, he leaned over her and kissed her deeply. He wanted her to taste herself on his tongue. 

Carol draped her arms over his shoulders, kissing him back, tasting her release in that kiss. The passion she experienced with Ezekiel had been unlike anything else. “You’re still over dressed,” she said between kisses. 

Ezekiel pulled back, smiling down at her. “You desire more?”

“I want more of you,” Carol confirmed, gaining her second wind. Each time they made love, she found herself hungering for him more intensely than the time before. 

Ezekiel inclined his head slightly before getting off the bed. With Carol watching every move he made, he opened his belt, undid the button, and lowered the zipper. His body craved hers with a wild passionate abandon. He shed the black khaki material and stepped out of them. To make the anticipation build between them once more, he walked around the foot of the bed, and then knelt on the edge. 

Carol sat up, watching in blatant desire as he crawled towards her as if he were some predatory feline and she his prey. It was exciting to be deeply desired; truly hungered for. In a fluid motion, he slipped between her thighs, his lips seeking out hers where he kissed her down to the mattress. She wrapped her arms around him and felt him hard and ready for her. He shifted, putting himself right at her wet entrance. She broke the kiss just as he thrust inside her.

Ezekiel held himself still for a moment, so he could savor the second wave of pleasure washing over her face. She slid her hand down, placing it over his scar and he knew what she wanted. At first, he pulled out of her slowly, and then returned to her warm embrace in the same manner. But all too soon, his need to have her overrode his need to draw out their romantic interlude. With each surge of his hips, he picked up the pace.

Carol moaned his name and held him close while she met him thrust for thrust. Each time he pushed inside her, he hit that same sweet spot that had her body ready to explode in ecstasy. Her right arm slipped over his shoulder, her hand cupping the back of his neck, so she could pull him down, take his lips and ravish his mouth with the same intensity. The hand she had over his scar slid down and around his back, so she could feel the muscles flexing. She didn’t keep her hand idle. Lower still she moved it until her fingers were digging into the swell of his marvelous backside. At that, he thrust into her a little harder, and she loved it. 

Ezekiel loved the way Carol speared his mouth with her tongue with the same vigor as he penetrated her body. He surged into her again and again until that last one had him spilling himself inside her. She came with him, clamping down on him, holding him where he was. Each time they made love, it was just as intense as the times before. He found himself falling into her embrace, gasping and kissing her and quivering in her arms. His body was a mess of mixed signals, of warmth, and of wanting. Somehow, he managed to fall to her side, pulling her with him so that he might gaze into her eyes as they came down from the high. “That…was…” 

Carol placed her fingers to his lips, silencing him. “Shh…” she closed her eyes, inhaling slowly. With her left leg draped over his hip, she slid closer, blindly kissing him. She loved the feel of his lips on hers, the way his beard brushed against her cheeks. Leaning her head back, she smiled a lazy, satisfied smile at him. Her body was incredibly relaxed and her soul unbelievably light. She wondered, and not for the first time, what she did in this life to wind up with a man as incredibly giving as Ezekiel. There were still days when she would look at the gates of the Kingdom and feel that familiar urge to run as far and as fast as she could. Then, she would feel eyes on her. She would turn and there would be Ezekiel, smiling at her. Carol would find herself smiling back at him.

Ezekiel could stare at Carol for hours. He loved seeing the sarcastic light in her eyes when she was holding back a rather acerbic comment. He loved the way she would purse her lip, it only made him want to kiss her, to keep kissing her until they were both breathless and needing air. He loved the way she gave him the strength to be better than he was the day before. She made him feel like the King he portrayed for his people, to give them someone to believe in. He could do that, because she believed in him. Ezekiel loved Carol; he knew it way down in his soul. It started to happen the day he met her, the day he got drawn in by her sweet and innocent act. Lovingly, he kissed her brow. 

 

JUST BEFORE DAWN:  
DAY ONE:

 

The groups that would be scavenging met up at the satellite dish outpost before dawn. Carol and Ezekiel agreed to enter the town from the South while Rick and Michonne would enter to the North. They would do a cursory drive through and then meet in the middle to make camp. Daryl, on his bike would follow Carol and Ezekiel in their truck. Rosita, Tara, Jesus, and Aaron were already packed up, and heading out. 

At the truck, Ezekiel spied two car batteries and a boom box on the back seat next to empty red gas canisters, and their rucksacks. Before leaving the Kingdom, he had asked her what possible use she could have for such items. She gave him a sad look and told him about Glenn. She told him about how he used he same trick to clear an area of walkers while they’d still be living at the prison. Ezekiel hadn’t pressed for more information. Speaking about her fallen comrade still pained her. 

Carol stood next to Daryl while he studied the map of the surrounding forest area near the town they were going to. She looked up to find Ezekiel staring at her. It shouldn’t make her stomach flutter, but it did. Her body still tingled from everything he did to her last night, and early that morning before they had to leave the warmth of their bed. She couldn’t believe how much she craved his touch.

Daryl glanced at Carol to see she was staring at the King. “Hey,” he said, nudging her lightly.

“What?” Carol asked, looking at him. 

“You look ridiculous grinning like that,” Daryl scoffed lightheartedly. He was happy that she was happy. She had survived an abusive husband, the death of her daughter, and now she had someone who truly cared for her. 

Carol chuckled, “Shut up.” She had to urge to call him ‘Pookie’, but she was going to save it for a better moment. 

Daryl scoffed again, bumping his elbow against her back. He went to get his pack and his jacket before getting on his bike. The sun was just now coming up. They would just make it to the little town before evening. Daryl would have a little time to find a suitable place to camp. Then in the morning, he could start searching for game. By the time Carol and Ezekiel came back for him, he hoped to have enough for the communities to divide up. 

Carol folded up the map and headed to the truck. She moved around to the driver’s side, opened the door, and slid in behind the wheel. Moments later, the passenger door opened, and Ezekiel joined her in the cab. He said nothing as he took her hand and placed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. “What was that for?” she asked. The soft heat of his lips lingered against her skin.

“It felt like something I needed to do,” Ezekiel answered and then did it again before letting her hand go. 

Carol put the keys in the ignition, turned them, and brought the truck engine to life. While it idled – she was waiting for Daryl to start his bike to signal he was ready to head out – she placed her hand on Ezekiel’s left knee to show she liked what he had done. Then behind them, the motorcycle roared to life. Carol put the truck in gear and pulled out. 

Half the morning passed with Ezekiel sitting in companionable silence with Carol while she drove. After they had gotten well underway with their journey, she had surprised him with a leather-bound copy of collected works by William Shakespeare. She told him she had come across it at Hilltop and thought he might like it. He was up to MACBETH. Softly, he read, “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.” 

“What?” Carol asked, glancing at him. Then she checked the rear-view mirror to make sure Daryl was still there. He had fallen back a few car lengths as he was taking in the nice crisp morning.

“When first we met, you appeared innocent, soft, and fragile. Then, when I happened upon you in the garden, I knew you were more than that. It wasn’t until the war with the Saviors that I got to see how deadly you actually were. The quote reminds me of you,” Ezekiel explained lightly. 

“Thanks… I think,” Carol said, unsure if she should take it as a compliment. To her, the quote sounded like a reminder to be treacherous. Though, she supposed she did fit the quote. She was able to blend in wherever she ended up. She could smile while making plans that at one time benefited her, or her family. She still did that, but this time, those plans included Ezekiel and the Kingdom. Mainly Ezekiel though, and Shiva. In the weeks she had come to truly live in the Kingdom, she had taken a shine to that big cat. 

“I am still so amazed at how you can do so much and still find a way to smile despite it all,” Ezekiel said. Then, he closed the book, and left it on his lap. The silence fell between them again, just as comfortable as before. 

Carol took her right hand from the wheel and reached over to take his left. Thinking about it, the quote did fit her. Since losing Sophia, she had molded herself into a creature of pure deception. She allowed others to see what they wanted to see. Except Ezekiel. He saw who she was inside, and not the persona she showed to the world. No wonder she had been drawn to him, even when she fought against feeling anything for him. “I can smile because of you,” she said to him and while she kept her eyes on the road, she let him see that smile. 

Afternoon came rolling around with Ezekiel reading again. It served to pass the time. He happened to look in the side mirror and notice that Daryl was signaling them. “Carol, he’s signaling us.” 

“Yeah, I noticed that,” Carol replied. She taped the break and then put the truck in park. Killing the engine, she said, “I’ll be right back.” 

“I shall remain right here,” Ezekiel chuckled and held up the book. 

Carol shook her head and closed the door. She walked the distance between the truck and where Daryl had his bike. “This a good enough place?” she asked.

Daryl nodded and said, “Yeah. Thought it best to peal off here, set up camp, and head out hunting at first light.” 

“You be careful,” Carol told him. She knew he would, but she had to say it. He nodded. 

“Any special requests?” Daryl asked. 

“A turkey would be nice,” Carol joked. Though, she knew that because she said it, Daryl would keep an eye out for one. 

“Alright. See you in three days,” Daryl said. Before they parted ways, he came close and gathered her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him in turn and squeezed. 

Carol pulled back, she brought her right hand up and brushed the hair out of his face. “Good hunting. See you back here, in this exact spot in three days.” She hugged him once more and then left him by the side of the road.

From the passenger seat, Ezekiel watched them in the rear-view mirror. He knew the bond between Carol and Daryl ran deep, and every time he saw it, he understood it a little bit more. She had told him that there was nothing romantic between them and seeing them, reading their body language he could see that that wasn’t what they needed from each other. They had a companionship that was based on trust, on love, and mutual respect. 

Carol climbed back into the cab, and immediately she was under the watchful stare of Ezekiel. “What?”

“A normal man would be jealous of the relationship you have with Daryl,” Ezekiel answered lightly. 

Carol smirked and replied, “But you’re not a normal man. You’re a King.” He was unlike any other man she had ever known, including Daryl. After what she went through with Ed, Ezekiel was a breath of fresh air. He was kind to her, giving, and he took her needs into account. It wasn’t all about him. If anything, he made her the priority in their private life. 

“Yes, I am. I understand the bond you two share and I’m glad for it. If you truly desired him in that way, you would have already laid claim to him,” Ezekiel stated knowingly. 

“You think so?” Carol asked as she started the truck up again. 

“I know so,” Ezekiel replied. “You wouldn’t make love with me the way that you do, if you wanted another man.” She had chosen him as surely as he had chosen her. 

“It’s a good thing you’re the man I want,” Carol fired back with humor in her voice. She put the vehicle in gear and continued on their way to the town. 

By three in the afternoon, the trip faster than either one of them would have thought, Ezekiel and Carol rolled to a stop in yet another ghost town. There were abandoned cars, boarded up store fronts, and a few walkers staggering about. Though, in spite of all of that, it looked largely untouched by looters. 

“I’m going to make a loop around just to see what we can see,” Carol said, glancing at Ezekiel.

Ezekiel had his eyes on one of the wasted as it staggered towards their vehicle. The diseased skin of it face was missing, one eye completely gone, and there was a massive gaping hole in its chest. As always, he felt a pang of sympathy towards the human that had once been, but no more due to the prevalent disease that brought the dead back to life. Instinctually, his hand tightened on the grip of his sword. Then, they were making a left turn, driving away from the stumbling corpse. 

Carol drove slowly down the silent street sweeping her vision from left to right. Trash littered the pavement, cars were parked haphazardly, and more storefronts were boarded up. There was even a gas station. What were the odds that there was still enough fuel for them to scavenge? Further on she drove until she was rolling past a dead-end alley. There were large dumpsters on either side of the brick-built alley, presumably blocking doors. It would be a defensible position to make camp. After a few more seconds of study, Carol tapped the gas to continue on. Shortly she was hoping to run into Rick and Michonne. 

Ezekiel felt his heart fall at the sight before them. Bodies were mounted on crosses, teeth snapping and snarling. The truly sickening aspect of all of this to him was that the bodies were missing limbs. “What sort of evil is this?”

“I have an idea,” Carol muttered, putting the truck in park, and switched the engine off. Together, they exited the vehicle. Carol had her knife in her hand while Ezekiel drew his sword. She walked over to the nearest cross and saw the body mounted on it had been there for a while. Months would be her guess. There on the forehead was a large W carved into the rotting flesh. “Wolves.”

“Wolves?” Ezekiel asked. He’d not heard of such creatures. The Saviors had been their biggest threat. He hardly had any time to think about others. 

“A pack of humans that call themselves ‘Wolves’, they attacked Alexandria a while ago. Most of them were killed, but a few got away. We never knew if there were more out there.” She stepped even closer to the cross to inspect the wound patterns to the walkers chest. There weren’t any knife wounds, or gunshots, or anything that could have been the cause of death. Sections of the flesh had been excised post mortem. 

“Carol be cautious,” Ezekiel advised in voice filled with apprehension. 

“It’s not getting free,” Carol replied as she continued to inspect the missing patch of flesh. Even though the W indicated that it was a Wolf, she surmised that it had been the victim of whatever strung it up on the cross. 

Ezekiel felt sick as he looked down the road where he saw more crosses on either side. “The new Appian Way…” he muttered and shook his head. By now, he should stop being surprised by what kind of horror one human could visit upon another.

“What?” Carol asked directing her gaze in the same direction. There she saw more crosses and a small heard following along the road, being pulled along by the sound. It was a diversionary tactic by whatever group had done this. Without asking, she moved aside his coat and unhooked the walkie from his belt. Turning away from the horrific sight, she took his left hand in hers, giving him something solid to hold on to. “Rick?”

“Yeah, Carol, we’re just now getting here. Where are you and the King?”

“Turn onto Augustine Avenue and keep driving till you see us,” Carol said and then clipped the walkie back to Ezekiel’s belt. Without saying anything to each other, they went back to the truck. Carol lowered the tailgate, hoped up to sit and watch for Rick. Ezekiel, however, obstructed her view by standing between her parted knees. She didn’t mind because she liked when he stood close to her, when he looked deeply into her eyes, and in that moment, time seemed to stop. 

Ezekiel needed to be close to Carol after what they had just seen. He knew the brutality one human could inflict upon another, but that… The crucifixion was not something he thought this world would ever see again. The sight of it affected him more than he thought it would. Ezekiel rested his hands on top of Carol’s knees and simply stared at her. She had a way about her, a calmness of spirit that he needed. “No one should have to die in that manner,” he whispered.

Carol looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. “We don’t know if they did,” she said softly. There had been moments at the end of the day, when she would go in search of Ezekiel and she would find him on the stage, sitting on his throne, with a book in his lap. Ancient History. He had it open to the same page, an artist’s rendering of what the Appian Way would have looked like; the road lined with crucified slaves from a defeated rebellion. She never asked why he was compelled to stare at such a picture, or what he was feeling while looking at it. Some things just couldn’t be explained. 

Ezekiel felt the urge to ask, ‘Why do people do this?’, but he knew Carol’s response. She would tell him that some people are just cruel, and that the world has given them the excuse to be even crueler. It would lead them back to a debate they’ve had many times. Today, he neither had the will nor the inclination to rehash all that had been said already. He was about to turn, to take another look, when Carol’s hands cupped his face. She kept his eyes linked with hers. Ezekiel sighed in relief. 

“You’re one of the good people in this world,” Carol whispered. While they were alone, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. It was dangerous to be affectionate, to allow herself to be distracted, but Ezekiel needed this, and so did she. For too long she had let this world make her hard. She was still strong enough to survive, but with Ezekiel she had also found enough of herself that she could learn to live a little. He was the reason she could be like that again, be herself. He was the reason she could stay in one place.

Ezekiel pulled back from her, breaking the seal of her lips where he rested his forehead against hers. “You always seem to know what I need,” he breathed out. 

“Well, someone has to take care of you,” Carol replied wickedly. There moment was soon to be over as she heard the rumble of the van engine approaching. He heard it too, and was moving back, so she could once again stand and close the tailgate.

Rick put the van in park and got out. He wasn’t looking at Carol and the King. He was seeing the horror just beyond them. And here he thought he had seen every type of madness this world could create in a living, breathing human being. Rick was wrong. Now, the question was, did they want to risk scavenging in this town? With a sigh, he looked at Carol, and she knew where his mind had gone. She was also weighing the risks of remaining here. 

“Rick?” Michonne stood next to him, fixing her eyes on him to keep from seeing the sight just beyond. She had maimed and killed, but there was something about a crucifixion that twisted her up in knots. How many of those people were alive when they were put to the cross? 

“Do you want to risk it?” Carol asked. She glanced at Ezekiel, already knowing his answer. He would pull up stakes and head to the housing development to help the others. 

“Should we?” Michonne countered. 

“I don’t think we have a better choice,” Carol answered. “The Kingdom is already running low. In a few weeks, we’ll be pretty bad off.” 

Rick looked to Ezekiel. “What’s your opinion on this?” he asked. He was with Carol. They had to take the chance. 

Ezekiel sighed, shaking his head. “It is dangerous to remain in this clearly claimed little hamlet. That being said, the reward will far exceed our risk. Carol speaks the truth; the Kingdom will run out of food within a fort night.” 

“Alexandria is about where you are,” Rick confirmed.

“Same with Hilltop, the Sanctuary, and Oceanside,” Michonne added. With all the communities pulling together, the food spread evenly around, it still wouldn’t last. Even with all the deaths, food still went fast. 

“Given with what’s just behind, we still have to stay. We need fuel just as much as we need food,” Carol said. 

“We’ll take it a day at a time,” Rick replied. They had just finished a war, they weren’t looking to start another. Quiet and cautious. “We’ve got about three hours of light left. We should set up camp and then scout the area from there.”

********

 

The four of them got back into their vehicles and drove to the alley Carol had seen. It was defensible and with the truck and van blocking the entrance, they could sleep with relative safety. If any of them slept. Mounted on the wall was a ladder that led up to the roof. Carol had gone up to clear it of walkers, but none were up there. Instead, she found camping gear, a canvas cot, and chair. Someone, presumably long since dead, had been living up here. It would make a good watch post.

Carol walked over to the far edge and looked down. Cracked pavement, rotting cardboard boxes, trash, and a few dead bodies that were little more than skeletons. Her body felt movement, her hand went to her knife, but when she turned around to face the threat, she found it was Ezekiel. Carol heaved a slightly irritated sigh and dropped her hand. “You need a wear a bell,” she hissed. There were times when he had the bad habit of sneaking up on her. 

“A useful survival skill I gained from living with Shiva for so long,” Ezekiel whispered. Like she had done, he walked up to the ledge and peered over the side. His stomach clenched in instinctual fear. It had been a long time since he’d hated heights. Before that fear fully manifested, he stepped back, and put himself close to Carol. She didn’t back away from him, not like she would have before they became lovers. 

Carol put herself a little closer to him. The town was dead, no one would see them. Rick and Michonne were setting things up. She placed her hand over his heart and pressed her lips to his once again. For the moment, they were out of danger, and she could indulge. It was good to get away from the Kingdom, even if it was just for three days. She had a feeling they would be back up here come nightfall. The cot was big enough for two people.

Ezekiel added a little pressure to the kiss, his tongue running along the seam of her closed lips, teasing her, begging her to open up to him. Suddenly, a clattering from down below forced them apart, and across the roof to look over the side. Rick and Michonne were laughing lightly after having tipped over a plastic crate of food cans. Ezekiel breathed a sigh of relief and dropped his hand from the grip of his gun.

Carol reluctantly whispered, “We should head down, see what supplies we can scrounge up before dark.” Her tone had gone a little breathy when she said dark. Back in Georgia, she had lived without physical contact. Sex was like a beast always lurking in the shadows waiting to be fed, to grow stronger. At the prison, she focused on making herself stronger, of not needing someone in that way. Then they migrated to Virginia and she met Ezekiel. Each time she made love with him, she craved his touch more and more until they were back in bed feeding the beast. 

“Yes, we should…” Ezekiel didn’t miss the purr that was in his voice. He waited for her to make the first move. They were not yet needed to go in search of food right away. The moment they were, Rick or Michonne would call out to them. They had time to stare at each other, to silently dare the other to before the first to move. 

Carol pursed her lips, furrowed her brow, and shook her head. Breaking their little stalemate, she gripped the metal handle of the ladder and pulled herself up to the ledge. While he still watched her, she stepped down to the first rung, then again to the next. They were burning daylight. Down on the pavement, she backed away from the ladder but watched Ezekiel coming down. She had her back to Rick and Michonne, so she could shamelessly stare. 

Ezekiel’s boots touched the ground and when he turned around, the first face he saw was Carol’s, and she was smiling. “You find something amusing?” he asked lightly as he stepped closer to her. 

“No,” Carol replied just as quietly. “Just something I like,” she added with a wicked gleam in her eye. 

Ezekiel smirked, inclining his head. He could guess where her eyes had been, and it made him feel oddly appreciated. “Where shall we concentrate our search with what light yet remains?” he asked, turning his attention to Rick and Michonne. There would be time later for he and Carol to slake their rising thirst for each other. 

“The gas station is good enough place to start, and the little mart next to it,” Michonne answered sensing where Rick wanted to start. 

“We’ll take the mart,” Carol piped up. Automatically, she pulled the pistol from its holster and checked the chamber. Then she put it back and pulled her knife. She glanced at Rick and he only nodded. With it decided, she and Ezekiel crossed the street and went up the dirty glass door of the mini mart. Carol tapped on the glass the handle of her knife. A few seconds later, she did it again. 

Ezekiel pulled his sword in preparation for any of the wasted that might have been trapped inside the building they were going to scout. Today seemed quieter than normal, every sound heightened. The wind blowing scraps of paper down the street. Metal scraping against the concrete. All of it was so loud. Then there was the snarling, rasping sound of a walker. It’s putrid, rotting face pressed to the glass trying to get at them. 

Carol looked at Ezekiel, her hand on the door, ready to pull it open. He nodded once, and she yanked hard. The metal groaned, the glass shuddered, and the door burst open, unleashing the walker. It went for Ezekiel, but his blade was driven through the skull before the dead man was close enough to grab at her King. Carol looked away knowing the Ezekiel could defend himself. She peered inside the store seeing another walker coming at her. Drawing it out, she waited until she could grab its shirt and drive her knife into its head. After she pulled her blade free, she dropped the walker like it was nothing more than dead sack of potatoes. 

Ezekiel cleaned the thin blade of his sword before returning it to the sheath. Carol was still by the door waiting for him. Together they would go in and make sure that it was truly cleared. Inwardly, he sighed in relief. There had only been two for them to deal with. Still with silence between them, he walked down a short isle that had a scattering of generic cleaning supplies, paper goods, and a few quarts of motor oil. All of it would be of use in one form or another. At the end of the isle he encountered Carol, and she had already found chocolate. Ezekiel chuckled, “I might have known.” 

“Shut up,” Carol whispered in an amused tone. Chocolate was her weakness. He only smiled harder at her. That smile of his had the power to make her heart skip a beat. They gathered up what food was still good and found some water bottles to take back. 

 

NIGHTFALL:

 

Dinner had been finished a while ago. Ezekiel had sat with Carol on one side of the fire while Rick and Michonne had been on the other. They had talked, shared stories, and laughed like old friends. Rick held Michonne close to his side as he stared into the flames. A stupid grin came to his lips and a chuckle broke the companionable silence. “This reminds me of a time Shane and I went camping when we were sixteen.” It was the first time they’d been on their own for the weekend and it had been one of the best ones of Rick’s life.

Carol’s ears perked up. “That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time,” she said. Since their first night at the prison, she hadn’t given Shane a second thought. The man had been a ticking time bomb of jealousy and hate. And all of it for Rick. 

“Was he a fallen comrade?” Ezekiel asked. 

“You could say that,” Carol replied cryptically, looking at Rick. It was his story to tell, whether it be the truth or some fairy tale.

“He was my best friend, we were cops together, and we were brothers,” Rick said, his voice full of nostalgia. “After the fall, Shane once accused me of not being built for this world…” 

“Who you used to be wasn’t made for this world, none of us were,” Carol interrupted. Who she used to be would have died a long time ago. If the world hadn’t ended like it had, then Ed may have beaten her to death. She didn’t even want to think about what Sophia would have gone through. Carol became who she was meant to be because of the fall. Without saying anything, she got up and headed over to the ladder that would lead her to the roof. 

Ezekiel watched her go but remained where he was. He could tell from the rigid way she stood, she needed a few minutes to herself. Some demon from her past must have reared up in her mind and he knew when she was ready, she would tell him. Ezekiel would never press her for information about her life before that she wasn’t willing to freely impart to him. So, he gave his attention back to Rick, and asked, “Your friend, what became of him?”

“He tried to kill me,” Rick answered. He could see that Ezekiel didn’t want to press for more information. Rick wouldn’t have given it anyway. Talking about the night he killed Shane was hard. That night, under the full moon, he had felt so betrayed by a man who had, at one time, been his brother.

 

********

 

Up on the roof, Carol didn’t know how long she’d been alone before she heard the creaking groaning of the ladder. She knew it was Ezekiel. She was glad it was him. Looking in the direction of the ladder, she smiled when she saw his face. Granted, it was a fake one given that her mind was replaying her past just to torment her. Along her right side, phantom pains echoed through her bones. One night, Ed had knocked her to the floor and kicked her hard enough to fracture her ribs. Tonight, the impulses in her brain were making her remember that pain.

Ezekiel crossed the expanse between them, so he could take her hand. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he said silently. Her hand tightened on his, but she remained silent. Ezekiel knew the pain the past could inflict upon the present. As strong as Carol was, she wasn’t free from the demons that tortured her. 

“When Rick mentioned Shane, it made me think of Ed,” Carol replied silently. “He was my husband and…” In all the times they talked about their past, she had avoided the subject of her husband. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, she just didn’t want to seem weak. Though, that was a sad excuse.

“He mistreated you,” Ezekiel stated softly. When they had been out in the wilderness, trying to get back to the Kingdom, he had seen the signs of her abuse; the way she would flinch, or go still.

“When he was drunk or angry,” Carol replied, rolling her eyes. Over and over she would call herself an idiot, a pathetic little weakling. It had taken the world ending, the death, the turning of her daughter, to make her someone stronger. It took being with Ezekiel to breathe some life back into her heart. “This person you know, I was never her when I with Ed. I was scared, and I thought being with him was the best I could do. I was always scared, even before Ed. Ironically enough, this world stopped scaring me. The dead, I’m not afraid of them anymore.” Carol turned to face Ezekiel and continued speaking, “Losing you, that scares me, because you worked so damn hard to make feel again.” Her voice held a trace of humor as well as honesty. 

Ezekiel smiled a small smile at her. He brought his hands up to cup her face, to pull her close to allow his lips to press a gentle kiss to her brow. Then he fell back against the cot, bringing her with him, holding her close to his side. “You don’t have to tell me anymore,” he whispered softly. She snuggled in against him, throwing her right leg over his, and draped her arm over his stomach. They weren’t going to sleep. They couldn’t, not with the constant snarling of the crucified walkers breaking the silence of the night.

 

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

DAY TWO:

 

Morning came but nothing had changed. The world was still over run with the dead, but Carol felt lighter somehow. Talking about Ed with Ezekiel hadn’t been as hard as she thought. True, she didn’t give him any horrific details, but to simply speak about her past with him was a way of letting it go. Ed was dead. He couldn’t hurt her anymore. When she woke from the light slumber, she was surrounded by the scent of her King, and by the scent of his tiger. It was a smell she’d come to associate with happiness. Like they did most mornings, she woke Ezekiel with a kiss. When he didn’t open his eyes, she kissed him again. Though, she knew he was only doing it, so she would press her lips to his. “We got a lot to do today,” Carol whispered. That drew a groan from her King, albeit a fake one. Then, once he was smiling at her, they got up and headed down to the camp for breakfast.

While the morning was still upon them, Carol and Ezekiel took the left side of the street while Rick and Michonne took the right. In a quaint little hardware store, Carol scanned the semi-empty shelves where nails and screws should have been. Surprise surprise, they were all gone. No doubt cleared out by the people that planted all the crosses. Then she saw zip ties and she couldn’t help but snickering. She took all the ones that were left, stowing them in the large duffle. Just the first bag of many they hoped to fill. 

Ezekiel listened to the silence of the store, not hearing any sounds that would indicate they were in danger. He came to the end of the aisle where Carol was and for the moment, he stood there watching her. She was focused on the task at hand, evaluating what they could use and what they could afford to leave behind. From the first moment they met, he had fallen for her. After that, his feelings for her have only grown stronger.

“What?” Carol asked as she moved down the aisle. There was nothing else she could take and when she looked at him, she saw he didn’t have anything in his hands. 

“Alone again,” Ezekiel replied, recalling their time on the run from Saviors. Though, this time he didn’t have a bullet wound. 

“Hardly,” Carol scoffed. 

“At least this time we are not fleeing for our lives and I’m not in need of medical attention,” Ezekiel said, stepping in close to her.

Carol only smirked at him, looking him up and down. “This is hardly the time,” she pointed out, moving around him to peruse the next aisle for useful items that could be used in the Kingdom. After a few more minutes, Carol mentally declared that whatever was left, was going to be left where it was.

The next building over was a pharmacy. Ezekiel knocked on the glass and waited a few minutes. “I hear one, but it must be stuck,” he said to Carol. She nodded at him, and he opened the door. When a walker didn’t immediately stumble towards them with he intent of ripping them to shreds, they moved inside. Ezekiel pulled his sword, ready to deal with the snarling corpse they could hear. As they moved through the store the main floor was clear, but behind the counter, the corpse lunged at them. Inwardly, Ezekiel jumped. It was a natural human response. With a practiced move, the point of his blade slide into the creatures left eye socket. Seconds later it was dead. 

Carol listened intently, hearing nothing but silence. She knelt down and started filling her bag with bandages, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, and band aides. “Why did you want to come out here?” she asked, glancing up at him.

“I wanted to have time with you, alone, and to be out from behind the walls of the Kingdom,” Ezekiel answered as he checked the dates on the over the counter pain meds. He took them anyway, knowing the doctor could tell if they were still good. 

Carol could hear what he wasn’t saying. “You have nothing to prove to your people. They know how much you care about them,” she replied and stood up. 

“Being out here shows them I’m willing to put my life on the line for them just as they are for me,” Ezekiel responded. During the battle with the Saviors, he lost many of his people. Each death hurt him, but it was Carol that helped him stay the course, and finish what they started. 

Carol reached out, placing her hand against his cheek. “They know,” she said again.

Then Ezekiel’s gaze turned playful, “Mainly, I was not about to be without you for three days.” He turned his face, placing a kiss to her palm. His bed was always more welcoming when Carol was in it. His life was infinitely better with her in it. He was better with her. He was a King because of her. 

“Let’s get back to work, Your Majesty,” Carol snickered, dropping her hand. Still, his words touched her. The thought of being without him had made her stomach clench. She had gotten used to sleeping next to him, feeling the weight of him at her back – on the nights she did sleep that was. Whenever they journeyed to the other communities, they did so together, or with Henry and Jerry with them. 

“What about you? Why did you venture out on this mission rather than allow another to act in your stead?” Ezekiel asked watching the way she tensed. He knew she felt the occasional need to fly free, to be out in the world full of wasted, but each time she felt that, she came to him and they channeled her desire into something else. 

“You know why,” Carol replied lightly. “There are times when I need to be out here. It has nothing to do with you, or the Kingdom. Just me.” She paused to kneel down and clear the bottom shelf of the braces she found. A few people were complaining of wrist or knee pains and she had made a mental note to keep an eye out for a few braces that would help. 

Ezekiel knelt down next to her and said, “Yet, when you feel those urges, you come to me.” 

“Because you can talk me out of it,” Carol replied with a quirky smile.

“Talk or talk?” Ezekiel joked, arching his right eyebrow. 

“You’re not funny,” Carol said even though she chuckled at him. 

“I am quite amusing, I’ll have you know,” Ezekiel fired back. He was nearly leaning into her, nearly poised to steal a kiss when a sound caught their attention. The bags remained on the floor and their weapons were drawn. 

Carol had her knife in hand as she listened for the sound again. From behind the counter, a bottle of pills rolled across the floor. With Ezekiel to watch her back, she went to investigate. Eying the dead walker, she peered over the counter to find a rather large rat gnawing away at the right leg. “It’s just a rat,” she said. The rodent stopped eating and looked up at her. She glared back at it. The rat went back to its meal, unfazed by her. 

“Perhaps we should leave the little fellow be,” Ezekiel suggested, trying not to make a face of revulsion. He hated rats. 

“Scared of them, are you?” Carol teased.

“I am not,” Ezekiel replied, playfully scowling at her. “One tends to lose their affinity for the little creatures when they turn into a meal more times than they should,” he added. 

The smile died from Carol’s face. She knew what that was like, only her group, they had eaten a dog to keep from starving while on the road from Richmond. Before she went to him, she was going to do what they came in here to do; scavenge. She found a few bottles of medicines that could be used, and she stowed them in her haversack with everything else.

Ezekiel reached out his hand to grip her arm lightly as she walked by him heading for the door. She put her hand over his, squeezing gently. There were times when they didn’t need words to communicate with each other. As much as he wanted to pull her close, to kiss her, he couldn’t right now. They had a job to do. After a few more seconds of touching her, he let go and they continued on with their day.

Afternoon came rolling around barely noticed. Carol and Ezekiel had come across a hunting/taxidermy store. Inside it had been looted of bullets – big surprise there – but there were still other things of use. Arrows for Daryl’s crossbow, five compound bows, and the arrows to go with them. There were a few bear traps that could be used on walkers. Every knife they found, the packed up and would take with them. Carol had secured the last few knives in another pack when she noticed Ezekiel staring at her. He had been down that a lot more than usual. “What?” she asked. 

“Why is it you and Daryl never became something more?” Ezekiel asked in reply. They had been together for more than two months, two good months, but he always wondered why she wasn’t with the biker. 

“You want to know that now? Here?” Carol shook her head, pulling on the nylon cord on the bookbag. She came around the counter and set it next to the other bags that were already filled. 

“Once, you told me that you loved him because he was Daryl. You offered no context to that comment and I failed to press for more details.” Ezekiel set his bag down as well. At the time he did have a hole in his shoulder that he to be opened up, cleaned out, and re-closed. Pressing for details about how she felt for another man seemed low on his list of things to inquire about. 

Carol took in a breath, held it for a minute, and then exhaled. “I suggested we get something started.” Then she chuckled lightly. “I actually asked him if he wanted to screw around with me. We were on top of an over turned bus, in a prison yard. He gave me one of his looks and that was that.” That night, part of her was relieved when he turned her down, and part of her was disappointed. She and Daryl were two damaged souls that wouldn’t have made each other better.

Ezekiel nodded, taking in the new information. When he would see Carol and Daryl interacting with each other, he saw how they trusted each other, how much they cared. “Would it have not worked between the two of you?”

“We were broken…” Carol stated solemnly. She from the abuse she suffered from Ed, losing Sophia. Daryl, because of his brother, his family. As time progressed it only got worse. 

“You do not seem as such now,” Ezekiel responded gently. 

“No, inside, I’m still pieces, but I’ve gotten a little better. I may never be fixed, but I don’t feel like I have to be to be with you,” Carol replied. Ezekiel never made her feel less than what she was. He made her feel like herself, made her feel the strength she projected. 

Ezekiel stepped in close, so they could share the same breath as he brought his hands up to cup her face, and then he said, “I love you as you are, as you have always been since the night I found you in the garden.” He felt now was the right time to say those words that filled his heart each morning when he would see her upon waking. She meant more to him than his next breath.

Carol felt the breath catch in her lungs and her heart skip a beat. Hearing him say those words felt better than she thought they would. She wasn’t afraid of hearing them because she knew that’s what he truly felt her. Carol wanted to say it back to him, but the words wouldn’t come. 

Ezekiel smiled and said, “Do not worry, my confession came freely. I do not expect you to say it back if you are not ready.”

“I want to be ready…” Carol whispered. “I just… It’s… I…” she was babbling incoherently. More than anything, she wanted to tell him that she felt the same for him, because she did. It was just hard to say. Instead, she placed her hand over his heart and nodded. Ezekiel was understanding and patient. He would wait for as long as she needed to find the courage to say those words back to him. 

“When you are ready and not a moment before,” Ezekiel said, filling his voice with love. It was enough for him to say those words to her, to have her hear them. Leaning in, he pressed his lips to her furrowed brow. Everything about her was endearing to him.

Carol stepped back but kept her hand on his chest. “You make me happy, I want you to know that.” When they were home, she would wake up in the morning to find him still slumbering next to her and automatically there would be a smile curving her lips. She would sit there and wait until she felt the shift in his body, felt him waking up. 

“I do,” Ezekiel replied placing his hand over hers. After a few more minutes spent staring at each other, they pulled apart to continue with their day. He felt the air of intimacy between them had changed, had bound them closer together. 

 

The afternoon turned into evening when Carol and Ezekiel met up with Rick and Michonne. They had managed to find everything they needed. Well, almost everything. Tomorrow they had a plan to go over to the next street and go through all the storefronts to find the rest of the items on their massive list of what was needed. The back of the van was filled with cans, dry goods, and various other sundries; just as the flatbed of the truck was filled. They were extremely lucky to have found all the food they had today. They covered everything with a tarp and took the lids off the water barrels they had brought just in case.

When the sun was setting, the evening turned, and a storm was brewing but it had yet to rain. Ezekiel had carried some things up to the roof while Carol stayed down on the ground, sitting with Michonne. They were idly chatting, talking about how fast Judith was growing and how well Alexandria was being put back together after the Saviors razed it to the ground. Carol told her about her life in the Kingdom and how good it was. Which surprised her, but she had Ezekiel, and life was falling into place. Even Henry had surprised her. She was raising him with Ezekiel.

All too soon, rain had started to fall. Michonne doused the fire and then joined Rick in the van, but left the doors open so they could enjoy the sound. When it was raining, the smell of death vanished. It was nice to have a small piece of the world before given back to them, even if it was just the fresh scent of a rain shower. 

Carol took a moment and turned her face up to the sky; the rain drops hitting her skin. She smiled and then headed towards the ladder, climbing up carefully. When she set foot on the roof, she saw a tent set up, with the flap open, and she caught sight of Ezekiel stretched out on the cot waiting for her. Seeing him like that had her heart racing and her mouth running dry. He had taken his long coat off, his armor, and his shirt. Even though the rain was pouring now, Carol stood rooted to the spot admiring Ezekiel in a quite lascivious manner. Her King looked quite delicious stretched out on the cot waiting for her. And she knew he was indeed waiting for her. That made her heart skip a beat in anticipation.

Ezekiel watched Carol as she was watching him. She was getting soaked standing out there. He shifted to his side, and crooked his finger at her, bidding her to come to him. Through the fall of the rain, he saw her smirk at him. She seemed to be debating whether she was going to come inside the tent to be with him or if she was going to stand there getting soaked in the down pour. As he knew he would always do, he got up and went to her. The rain touched his bare chest, the coldness of it making him shudder at first. Ezekiel closed the gap between them with her hands automatically coming to rest on his shoulders, slipping under his dreadlocks to cup the back of his neck. Without hesitation, he pulled her closer, and kissed her, tasting the rain on her lips. 

Carol was always overtaken by the power of his kiss, by the taste of his desire that simmered on his tongue. She was lost to him, the feelings he inspired inside her. Then a loud boom of thunder forced them apart and had them going into the tent. Where there was thunder, lightning was not far behind. The thick green canvas sheltered them while being assaulted by the pouring rain. Carol wiped at her face and laughed lightly. “I’ve never been kissed in the rain before,” she confessed, feeling the blush creep into her cheeks.

“This was a first for me as well,” Ezekiel confessed as well. Without letting the mood turn to something less amorous, he curled his fingers into the hem of her shirt and pulled the wet material up and over her head. He moved around her, standing at her back where he drew his fingers down her cool flesh until he encountered the closer of her bra. Ezekiel deftly unhooked it and slid the straps down her arms. She shuddered as a cool wind blew into the tent. He kissed her shoulder, his tongue darting out to lick away a stray droplet of water.

Carol didn’t wrestle with the dilemma of should they, shouldn’t they. She gave herself over to the feeling of having Ezekiel close to her, of having his lips against her skin, warming her up. A moan vibrated in her throat as his hands slid over her hips and then moved up her abdomen. His hands then covered her breasts, giving them a light squeeze. She sank her teeth into her bottom lip, moaning again. He lavished attention on the side of her neck, nipping at her, and teasing her thundering pulse.

Ezekiel growled, his desire growing hotter for her. “I want you,” he whispered against her neck. She made no reply as she turned in his arms, her mouth seeking his once more. He happily gave her his kiss, his tongue dancing with hers. While his ravished her lips, his hands tackled the pants she wore, yanking the button open and lowering the zipper. 

Carol mirrored Ezekiel’s movements, attacking the belt he wore, jerking open the button, and fighting the zipper to lower it over the bulge. “Your… pants… are a… little tight…” she gasped out between kisses.

Ezekiel broke the kiss to look at her, slightly shocked by her words. “You have never commented on them before,” he replied, licking his lips.

Carol gave him a devilish wink and then said, “Why would I? They make your ass look great.” To prove her point, she reached behind him and grabbed his magnificent backside.

“Carol…!” Ezekiel exclaimed her name in part shock and part laughter. 

“Am I not allowed to admire you?” Carol asked, putting a playful pout on her face.

“Only if I’m allowed to return such wanton attention,” Ezekiel replied wickedly. 

“I welcome it,” Carol smirked. He wrapped his arms around her waist, guiding her to the cot. Somehow, they managed to get their boots off, and their pants were on the tarp covered ground beneath their feet. She settled down on the cot, watching him, waiting for him. With any other man, she would have covered herself with a blanket, hiding. With Ezekiel, she liked the way he devoured her with his eyes, licking his lips in anticipation of kissing her. She studied every move he made, watched the way his muscle flexed under his skin. She even centered her gaze on the way the aroused length of him bobbed with each step he took. 

Ezekiel fit himself behind Carol, pulling her back against his chest, fitting the curve of her rear against his raging desire. His right arm slipped under her neck, supporting her, while his hand cupped her left breast. “Watch the rain,” he whispered against her ear, and then nipped her lobe to make her moan. She was wet for him, he could feel her aching for him to fill her. He rubbed himself between her soaked folds and then thrust into her. Ezekiel growled at how good it felt to be inside her again. He took a moment to let the heat of her bleed into his skin. 

Carol reached back, her fingers digging into his thigh to feel his muscles flexing as he thrust into her in slow, drawn deliberate surges. Lightning flashed, and he pulled out of her. Thunder rumbled, and he slid inside her so slow. “Oh, God….” Carol moaned. She turned her head to the side, seeking his lips, needing his kiss. Then, before she could even take her next breath, his lips claimed hers in an ardent kiss that had her body burning hotter for him. 

Ezekiel kissed her a little harder and moved his hips a little faster. The sound of the thunder, the loud boom reverberated in his chest, mixing with the primal urge he had to growl again as he made love to the woman that owned his heart. She moved with him, her body meeting his every thrust inside her. Ezekiel couldn’t get enough of her, her kiss, or her body. As he opened his eyes, lightning sliced the clouds, the brilliant flash cutting across her face, showing him the height of ecstasy he had taken her to. 

Carol brought her right hand up, her nails sinking into his skin while her left hand gripped his flexing thigh harder. Each time he thrust inside her, she felt herself coming closer and closer to orgasming. They broke the seal of their lips, gasping and groaning. “Ezekiel…” she moaned his name, grinding back against him. The thunder exploded above them as he came inside her. With the rain beating down on the canvas tent, it drowned out their cries of pleasure that they couldn’t keep restrained. The passion that burned between them always simmered beneath the surface and when they succumbed to it, the intensity raged through them like wildfire. 

Ezekiel buried his face against her shoulder, breathing in the scent of her, of them together. He used that scent to bind her closer to him, to imbed her deeper into his heart. As he lay behind her, he knew she was still conscious, just as he was. Lightning flashed outside, and the thunder still rumbled, though the sound farther away. Lazily, he kissed her shoulder while he felt her heart beat slowly return to normal. His skin still tingled from where they were pressed together. A light rumbling started in his chest each time he exhaled. 

Carol couldn’t help the smirk that crossed her lips. Twisting slightly so as not to break the connection between their bodies, she looked at him, her right brow arched. “Are you…. Growling?” she asked. He knew he had spent a long time out in the wild with Shiva until they made it to the Kingdom. 

Ezekiel shrugged lazily, one powerful shoulder lifting up and then back down. “Out in the woods I was nearly feral; too long removed from people. Shiva was all I had out there. Then Benjamin’s father found me, and we made the Kingdom a home, found others, and built a life.”

Carol let him see the sympathy shining in her eyes. “I don’t think you could ever be that far gone.” 

Ezekiel closed his eyes, pressing his forehead against her cheek. The marauder he told her about, it hadn’t been just a fight that he and Shiva won. He had purposefully pushed the desperate man towards the tigress. She was starving. In that moment he didn’t care about the man. He only cared about Shiva. He never wanted to be like that again. Now that he had Carol, he knew he wouldn’t have to worry about traversing that road. He could be the King because she believed in him, because she made him feel real. Every time he reminded himself that she believed in him, it made him love her more than he did the day before. 

Some time later, the rains had died down from the torrential downpour that it had been, to a light shower. Carol left the cot, feeling the pleasant ache between her thighs as she slipped on his dark blue button up shirt. She pulled the collar up to her nose and breathed deeply. Looking back to where he lay, she couldn’t keep her heart from fluttering. Even asleep, he was magnificent. Her Tiger King was lightly dozing, and any feline rumble in his chest had since faded away. She was pulled back to the cot, back to him until she was sitting with her hip pressed to his stomach, the blanket between them keeping their flesh from touching. Gently, she traced the bullet wound in his shoulder. It should have killed him, but he was resilient. The moment she saw the blood covering his chest, she knew she couldn’t live without him. Carol loved him, she knew she did, but when she tried to say them, the words lodged in her throat.

Stretching out facing him, Carol waited out the rest of the night watching Ezekiel as he slept. It wasn’t the first time she’d done that, and it wouldn’t be the last. When he slept, he was so serene, he didn’t have a care in the world. She imagined that when he dreamed, he was back on stage playing a King, and when it was over, he was beaming at the applause. Or maybe he dreamed other things. A world without walkers. Maybe it was a world where they were together and neither of them had suffered terrible losses. Leaning in, she kissed his brow and waited until the sun rose.

 

TBC...


	3. Chapter 3

DAY THREE:

 

Half the day had gone by with the next street being searched. Each store front yielded a few things the communities could use to sustain them through the winter that was coming, and it promised to be a harsh one. They had found propane tanks in various sizes. Most of the spoils they claimed from this town would have to go back with Rick and Michonne. The van they brought had a small trailer hitched up to the back that would hold almost everything the found. When Ezekiel and Carol left, they needed the flatbed of the truck free to load up the game Daryl managed to kill on his hunting expedition. 

Carol disappeared inside a second-hand clothes shop but stopped just short of the door closing. She tapped the handle of her knife against the glass and waited. Then she did it again, this time louder. Nothing stirred inside and so it was safe to enter. Ezekiel joined her moments later. They moved through the racks of summer clothes and headed towards the back where they hoped to find winter gear. While they picked through the clothes they could use, Carol noticed Ezekiel staring at her every so often. His eyes were filled with mischief and his lips were curved in a small smile. “What?”

“Nothing,” Ezekiel replied, but still his smiled he remained. Hopefully, when they returned to the Kingdom tomorrow evening, the surprise he had commissioned for Carol would be ready. Two weeks ago, during one of their trips to the Sanctuary, Ezekiel had run across a former worker who was working with a piece of wood, turning it into part of a stunning table. Naturally, he inquired of the man could make other things, given the right tools and the right material. The gentleman had listened to the King’s idea and was eager to attempt it. 

“Uh huh,” Carol scoffed and rolled her eyes, though there was no annoyance in her tone or on her face. She knew he would tell her when he was ready and not a moment before. One thing was for certain, she was ready to be home. It wasn’t that she wasn’t tired of being alone with Ezekiel, it was that she wanted to be back in their world; his Kingdom. Being out here was a test. She had no more desire to run away. 

Silently, Ezekiel aided Carol in packing up what suitable clothing they found and then carried it outside. It was enough to help those who needed it. Before she could return for more, he caught her arm, and pulled her against him. “I am eager to return home, for I have a surprise just for you.”

“What is it?” Carol asked automatically. She didn’t normally like surprises, but everyday with Ezekiel was just that; surprising.

“You will have to wait and see,” Ezekiel teased. He liked to dote on her when he could because he felt she deserved to be bathed in all the love that he could give her. She hadn’t known much of it, so he planned to change that. 

“Then why bother telling me in the first place?” Carol asked, her lips turned down in a little pout. 

“Because I wish for you to know that I think of your happiness and how I might give you more of that,” Ezekiel answered sweetly. 

“You don’t have to give me anything. Being with you makes me happy,” Carol responded quickly. Every moment she was with Ezekiel was a gift.

“That doesn’t stop me from wanting to treat you like the Queen you are.” Ezekiel smiled lovingly at her. 

“I’m not a Queen,” Carol denied, giving him a little frown. 

Ezekiel angled his head, stealing not one, but two kisses. Then with glee he said, “You’re my Queen.” Again, he kissed her. 

Carol lightly pushed at his chest, shaking her head, but she never lost the smile. He did that. He made her happy, and because of him, she had a home again. He made a lot of things possible for her, and so did Henry. “Come on, let’s get this finished, and maybe we’ll be able to head home tonight rather than tomorrow.” 

“Then let us not tarry a moment longer,” Ezekiel said warmly. As much as he liked being out here with her, he was eager for them to return home as well. Since the war was over, since she had come to the Kingdom with him, they had been raising Henry together. He liked the idea of the three of them being a family. Carol being around Henry had really helped to open her up and to help her lay to rest old ghosts.

When they returned to Rick and Michonne, Carol could tell her friends had the same idea they did. They wanted to go home. Silently agreeing to it, the four of them packed up and in record time they were on the road. Only this time, Ezekiel was driving, while Carol sat in the passenger seat. She scooted over on the padded bench seat and rested her head on his shoulder. “I’ll radio Daryl when we’re close. He should be heading back to the road by now.” 

“Do you think he found enough game?” Ezekiel asked. Daryl seemed like the type of man that enjoyed being out in the woods more than he enjoyed being around people, or in a house. At some point in the future, he would have to make it a point to try and get to know the hunter. 

“Hopefully,” Carol said softly. “We found more than enough food here, and there is still the matter of the crops Hilltop was able to harvest, and the fish Oceanside has provided. With all of our resources put together, all five of the communities should be able to survive the winter.” 

“And survive we shall,” Ezekiel stated. He wouldn’t allow it to be otherwise for him, for Carol and Henry, or his people. They had all survived so much and they would survive the winter when it came. 

The sun had just gone down when Carol pulled free the walkie. “Daryl?” she spoke and then clicked three times as per their signal. 

“I’m here.”

“We’re coming back early. Are you ready?” Carol waited for his reply while she looked out at the darkening road before them. Ezekiel still hadn’t cut the headlights on. She knew he would only do that when they had no other choice. 

“Yeah, I’ll be waiting. You got room in the back of the truck?”

Carol lifted the radio and replied, “The supplies went with Rick and Michonne in the trailer. Whatever game you managed to find, we have room for. We’ll be there in about an hour.” The radio crackled. When they got home, she would have to put it on the charger.

******

In the woods, Daryl looked around his little camp. He had built a few litters to tie the deer he’d killed to make it easier to transport them. He had ten heads in total. The herd he’d tracked was larger than he thought, which was unusual given the walker herds that tended to come through the area. Since Carol and the King were on their way to him, he had to start breaking down the rest of the camp. His years spent in the woods, fending for himself, he broke camp in a matter of minutes, and then set to work tying his game to the litters.

Daryl had just secured the last deer when the walkie cracked and then clicked three times. Carol had just arrived. Looking towards the road, he saw two quick flashes. The area was secure and would remain so for a few minutes while he went to greet his friends. He had just come out of the tree line when he saw Carol. As always, seeing her put a smile on his face. Internally, though. He’d even warmed up to Ezekiel when he saw how happy the King made her. With a quick nod, he waved them over. 

Ezekiel watched Carol move through the tall grass without hesitation, going towards Daryl. They made quite the pair of friends. After a few seconds he followed after them until he was by her side. Then he saw the bounty that Daryl had secured and ready for transport. “Your hunt was more than a success, so it seems,” he said with a twist of humor to his words. Daryl made a sound, something akin to a scoff, but Ezekiel knew that it was one of amusement and not annoyance. 

Carol shook her head at Ezekiel and Daryl, as both men stood idly by admiring Daryl’s tracking, and hunting, abilities. She moved over to the first litter that had four deer tied to it. Stepping between the two larger poles, she lifted and started to move forward. When she looked at Ezekiel and Daryl, she asked, “You two coming, or what?” There was a flicker of laughter in Daryl’s eyes. Then she set off at a steady pace not even bothering to wait for either man. 

“The lady has spoken,” Ezekiel chuckled. 

“She does that,” Daryl commented back. That was Carol through and through. When she wanted something done, she went a head and did it. That left him and the King to follow after her. Which, both of them did willingly enough. 

Out by the truck, Carol was in the flat bed of the truck. She had rope in her hand, ready to secure the litter’s to wooden extension. Ezekiel and Daryl picked up the first one, using their combined strength to lift the weight up and over so that Carol could pull it the rest of the way towards the cab. Deftly, she tied it off, and then repeated the action with the last two litters. After that was done, they returned to what was left of Daryl’s camp to help him with his stuff. Granted, he didn’t have much of, but they were going back to the Kingdom, and she knew Daryl would want to get to work on the deer. Cleaning his kills always calmed his mind, she knew that. 

 

********

 

By late night, the truck and Daryl on his bike were pulling through the gates of the Kingdom. Ezekiel had just gotten out of the cab when a young boy’s voice called out to him and a flash of blond hair caught firelight. Ezekiel gathered the boy close, dropping a kiss to the top of his head. “Henry! We missed you,” he said cheerfully. This was worth leaving on a short scavenging trip. 

Carol came around the front of the truck to speak to Jerry while Henry greeted Ezekiel. She asked him to help Daryl get the deer down from the back of the truck. Jerry, all smiles as usual, eagerly went to help. Sometimes, she envied the man his easy happiness. Though, she had all the happiness she could want with Ezekiel, and with Henry. Then, Henry broke away from Ezekiel and was bounding towards her. She caught him against her and held him close. Then she found Ezekiel beaming at them. His eyes were saying that they were his family. Tenderly, she kissed the top of Henry’s head and then pulled back to say, “You’ve stayed up long enough.” 

“Jerry let me stay up until you got home. I missed you,” Henry replied, the edges of sleep creeping into his voice. 

Carol chuckled softly. “Come on, it’s time for bed.” She draped her arm around Henry’s shoulders and turned him towards the main building. Leaving Ezekiel with Jerry and Daryl, she went inside. After an hour of answering Henry’s questions, she was finally bringing the blue blanket up to cover him. His curiosity had not outweighed his exhaustion. Tomorrow he would be even more so given that Nabila was putting him to work tending the chickens and feeding the horses. 

“Has sleep finally come to him?” Ezekiel asked after Carol shut the door.

“Yeah, about ten minutes ago,” Carol replied quietly. She went to him immediately, slipping her arms around his waist. “He kept asking about what we saw while on the run. He asked he could go with us next time.” 

“What was your answer?” Ezekiel asked, placing a kiss to her temple. 

“I told him I would talk to you, but for him not to get his hopes up,” Carol answered. She knew Henry could survive out in the world. She hated it, but he could. 

“For now, we stay behind our walls and contrate on laying provisions for the winter.” The thought of Henry going out on runs twisted Ezekiel’s stomach into knots. It was a father’s worry that he had developed ever since Benjamin and Henry’s father had died. And it had only grown since Ben’s death.

“Staying put sounds good,” Carol muttered. Soon enough, the nights were going to turn chilly, and then cold. Being home was best for all concerned. They had gone out on the run, gotten more than they thought they would, and now they had to focus on weathering the coming cold. It hadn’t come yet, but when it did, they would all want to be by warm fires, wrapped in blankets.

“I know something that would be even better,” Ezekiel whispered, pulling back from her. He took her hand in his and silently guided her down the hall towards their rooms. She followed along after him, her hand tightening in his. 

Carol stopped when Ezekiel did. He motioned for her to open the door and smiled when she looked at him quizzically. Never the less, she turned the knob and pushed it open. Inside, candles glowed softly to give her enough light to see a tub resting in the center near the open balcony doors where Ezekiel and Shiva often lounged, wiling away the afternoons. Steam rose up, drawing Carol closer. “Where did you find this?” she asked. 

Ezekiel stepped behind her, after closing the door softly, and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I saw a man at the Sanctuary working with wood, turning it into all sorts of useful items. I inquired if, given enough resources and time, could he make a tub large enough for two. He finished it while we were out there.” Ezekiel had been very specific as to what he wanted, and the craftsman told him it wouldn’t be a problem to make. The tub resembled one of those porcelain claw foot tubs but was slightly larger so as to accommodate him and Carol together. 

“You had this made for us?” Carol turned in his arms, staring at him curiously. Just when she thought she had him figured out, he went and did something so totally sweet that she didn’t know how to react to it. Then, the thought of sharing a bath with him was something she was eager to try.

“Tonight, it’s just for you,” Ezekiel answered. “You take care of others so completely – even me – without any thought for yourself. Tonight, I want to tend to you.” Even as he saw the argument forming in her eyes, he knelt before her and started to unlace her right boot. He needed to do this for her, to show her how devoted he was to her.

Carol had to put her hands on his strong shoulders to keep from falling back when he lifted her foot to pull off her shoe and her sock. She should be protesting more, should force him to stop being so ridiculous. Except, she liked what he was doing. He was showing her that he could take care of her while at the same time not stripping her of her fierce independence. “Don’t think I’m going to let you do this all the time,” she said with a hint of amusement in her voice. 

“Whatever you say, My Lady,” Ezekiel replied, gazing up her with mischief in his eyes. He removed her left shoe and sock, placing them next to the right one. Then, he brought his hands up to the waistband of her pants, fingers prying the button from the hole, and then lowering the zipper. Gently, he placed a kissed to her exposed skin while he worked the denim down her thighs. 

Carol sighed. The way Ezekiel kissed her was unlike anything she had ever experienced with another man. He kissed her with reverence and with all the love he had for her. She could feel with each press of his lips to her body. For his sake, she was going to let herself be taken care of. She stepped out of her pants with his help and without too much argument. Then he rose up to stand before her, his hands going to the bottom of her button up shirt to slowly open it. She sucked in a shuddering breath when his fingers brushed her abdomen.

With each button Ezekiel freed, he could feel the tremor of desire pulse in Carol’s body. He never broke eye contact with her. At last the final button was released and he was slipping the faded blue fabric down her arms. She shivered against his light touch. It made him smile in delight. Then, reluctantly, he took a step back, offering his hand to her. She said nothing as she placed her hand in his and let him help her get settled in the tub.

Carol stepped over the edge and hissed with the hot water made contact with her skin, but she kept going. With her hand securely in his, she put her other foot in the water, and then began to slowly sink down. Soon the water was up to her waist and it felt amazing. It had been too long since she’d last indulged in a bath. Sighing in pure bliss, she reclined, resting the back of her head against the edge of the tub. The hot water lapped against the swell of her breasts, soothing away hard days and nights on the run.

Ezekiel took a seat on a foot stool, sitting to Carol’s right. He picked up a royal purple washcloth and dipped it in the hot water. Except, he wasn’t prepared for Carol to take it from him. Mischief alight in her eyes. He went to grab for it when she held it out of reach. Ezekiel chuckled lightly, loving her playful side when it came out. “This moment is about you,” he reminded her. 

“Then take your shirt off,” Carol breathed out. Without question, he stood up and removed his shirt. She bit her bottom lip at the sight of his bare chest, his dark skin beautiful in the candle light. Then, he held out his hand for the wash cloth, and she gave it back to him. 

Ezekiel resumed his place, but before he got further with Carol, he pulled out a long strip of worn leather cord and used it to tie back his dreads. When she was feeling playful, he wanted to see the wicked delight spread all over her face and not have anything obstructing his view. Once more, he took the cloth in his hand, where he put it back in the water. “In private, a King should always bow to the will of his Queen. He should tend to her in all ways,” he said softly, taking her right hand out of the water. Slowly he began to wash away the accumulated dirt and grime from their days spent away from home. 

“I’m not a Queen,” Carol denied again. She didn’t need that title to be with Ezekiel. It was enough to share his bed, and to know that she had his heart. Those in the Kingdom who knew they were together – which basically included everyone – accepted their relationship without question. 

“To me you are,” Ezekiel reminded her. He rubbed at a stubborn spot of dirt on the inside of her wrist while they let the silence stretch between them. From the first moment he met her, he had been drawn to her. He knew she would be someone important to him and his instincts had been right. Carol had been the woman he’d been waiting for all his life. 

“Ok,” Carol murmured. She wasn’t going to argue with him or try to chance his mind. She knew she couldn’t do that anyway, not about everything. The smile he gave her was worth it, though. ‘Queen Carol…’ she thought to herself. She just wasn’t ready for what it meant. So, she watched the way he ran the cloth over her arm, slight traces of soap cleaning away the dirt. He moved up her arm, to the bend of her elbow. Suddenly she was transfixed by each pass of the purple material over her skin.

Ezekiel moved in slow, deliberate motions. He wanted to make sure there wasn’t a speck of dirt left on her while at the time he worked free any tension that might be lingering in her limbs. Slowly, deliberately, he worked up her arm, until his fingers were massaging her shoulder. Lightly, she moaned, and it was then he noticed her eyes had closed. Carol was finally relaxing. He moved back down, taking hold of her hand once more. Ezekiel took great care in the way he worked his fingers overs her, dispelling whatever tension that lingered. 

Carol hadn’t realized how much time had slipped by when she opened her eyes. Ezekiel was no longer to her right. He had moved over to her left and was massaging her forearm. It twinged a bit, but she couldn’t remember why. Then through the haze in her brain she recalled dragging a litter through the woods. It had been heavier than she thought, but her pride and self-sufficient nature wouldn’t allow her to stop and ask for help. Lightly she moaned. “You were right,” she mumbled, a lazy smile playing out on her lips. 

“About what, my love?” Ezekiel asked as if he didn’t know. He looked at her and winked. His hands worked their way up her arm until they came to the scar she had there; a lingering gift from a Savior’s bullet. Leaning over, he kissed the scar, feeling the tissue soft and supple against his lips. 

Carol didn’t feel the words sticking in her throat, not like she had on the rooftop. “I love you, too,” she whispered. Her confessions had the desired effect. He stopped what he was doing and looked at her once more. 

Ezekiel perched himself on the edge of the tub, his hands braced on either side, putting his upper body close to hers. She said the words he had been dying to hear since she had first kissed him. And it was her kiss he desired to have again. Lowering himself those few final inches, he pressed his lips to hers. 

Carol brought her arms out of the water, draping them over Ezekiel’s strong shoulders. She used his strength to pull herself up, getting as close to him as she could given the position they were in. Yet, somehow, he was lifting her out of the tub without breaking the seal of their lips. The night air whispered along her wet skin causing her to shiver.

Ezekiel broke the kiss, whispering his question against her lips, “May I lift you into my arms?”

Carol thought about saying no for a single second. All she could manage as her response was a slight nod of her head. Then she was being swept up into his arms. It should have made her bristle at being treated like a helpless damsel, but with Ezekiel, the attention felt different. This was his way of loving her and she loved him in return. 

Ezekiel walked with measured strides towards the bed he shared with Carol. Setting her back on her feet, he stayed standing before her, but reached for the white cotton shirt that had been left on the end of the bed. It was the same shirt he had worn when he had gone to see her after she took up residence in the small cottage with the wrought iron gated fence. Since claiming her place by his side and in his bed, she had taken to wearing it when she slept. He handed it over to her while he smiled broadly. 

Carol slipped into the shirt without hesitation, even though the fabric would stick to her wet skin. She lifted the collar of the shirt to her nose and inhaled. It still smelled like Ezekiel. Then, she placed her hands on his shoulders, her right thumb rubbing over the healed scar on his chest. “Let’s go to bed,” she said softly. The bath had relaxed her enough that she could actually sleep deeply in his arms. 

“I’ll join you presently,” Ezekiel said with a smirk and wink. He went to douse the candles and lock the door. The balcony doors could remain open and fill the room with the cool night air. When he was settling down in bed after a long day, he loved nothing more than to curl himself around Carol, to smell the fresh air filling their bedroom, and to breathe in her scent. Going back to the bed, he pulled off his boots and shed his pants.

Carol moved back until she was in the center of the bed, moving the blankets aside. She smiled watching him settle on the mattress and pulled the covers over his waist. He slid closer to her, his arm draping over her waist. “I can’t believe how much I love you,” she said placing her hand against his bearded cheek. 

“I knew I was going to fall in love with you,” Ezekiel replied, putting a bit of a light growl on his words before he scooted even closer to her. He wanted to be touching her as much as possible. 

“You did?” Carol laughed lightly. Somehow, that didn’t surprise her though. He was always open about his feelings, whether vocally or physically. 

“That moment when I looked and there you were, bags in hand, and a determined look on your face. You told me you were going to be in the Kingdom. More than that, I knew in that moment, you were meant to be with me.” Ezekiel pressed a kiss to Carol’s brow.

Carol snuggled into his arms letting the warmth of him and the relaxation from the bath carry her off into a deep sleep. Each exhale, she felt her body grow heavier, and she felt Ezekiel holding her closely. She was home. She really was. Before she was fully asleep, she wanted to say one more time, “I love you.” Then she felt the press of his lips again and with that she slipped into a deep sleep.

 

MORNING: 

 

Jerry was up mere moments after the sun came up. He got dressed and then went to fetch Henry, to get him ready for the day’s chores. After grumblings and mumblings, little man would finally get up, grab his staff, and head out to help where he was needed. Today, he was assisting Nabila in storing food for the coming fall and winter. Then he would go and stand at the end of the hall leading towards the King’s bedroom. On a typical morning, he would be just in time to greet the Boss, as he’s taken to calling Carol. She would nod at him, and then he would wait for the King to start his day. This morning was different, however. The doors were still closed, and Carol was nowhere to be found. He knew he hadn’t missed her. So, she still had to be in bed. Jerry nodded once before taking up a guard position at the mouth of the hall. There he would wait for them wearing a smile. All was right with the Kingdom this morning.

 

THE END.


End file.
